Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark was crowned Miss Universe this past Saturday, marking a historic win as the first Danish competitor ever to take the title. The pageant was held in Mexico City and featured over 120 women from around the globe.
The 21-year-old Dane triumphed over her competition at the 73rd annual Miss Universe pageant. A dancer and beauty entrepreneur with aspirations to become a lawyer, Victoria is an advocate for mental health support and animal rights. Addressing the audience during the final round, she said, “No matter where you come from…you can always choose to turn it [your past] into your strengths…You just gotta keep fighting.”
Victoria’s victory is particularly significant for Denmark, signaling its prominent emergence on the global pageant stage. Chidimma Adetshina of Nigeria and María Fernanda Beltrán Figueroa of Mexico were declared first and second runners-up respectively. This event also marked a milestone for Nigeria as Chidimma became the first Miss Nigeria to place in the top five.
Among notable participants were Logina Salah from Egypt, who made history as the first contestant with vitiligo, and Beatrice Njoya from Malta, celebrated as the oldest competitor at age 40 to partake in Miss Universe.
In her crowning moment orchestrated by Sheynnis Palacios — last year’s winner from Nicaragua — Victoria claimed the title previously held by Sheynnis, becoming one of few Europeans to win this prestigious contest.
Back home in Denmark, Victoria’s unprecedented achievement has been widely celebrated and is seen as an inspiration for other young women across Scandinavia to pursue their dreams on international platforms.
The progression of such contests provides critical visibility for discussions about various social issues through these participants’ advocacies; each contestant’s background and platform highlighting ongoing societal struggles or achievements.
